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Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Congress responded to the influx of Asians with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which stopped entry of Chinese immigrants into the United States for 10 years. This act was the first to establish the federal government's right to restrict immigration based on nationalities. -
Restrictive Acts of 1888 and 1891
More restrictive acts were passed in 1888 and 1891. They allowed the national government not only to exclude certain individuals- convicts, prostitutes, and insane persons, for example- but also to deport aliens who entered the country in violation of these immigration laws. -
Quota Act of 1921
The concept of limiting the rights of certain nationalities to immigrate resulted in the Quota Act of 1921. This act limited the annual number of immigrants from each nationality to 3% of the number of foreign-born persons of the nationality who were living in the United States in 1910. Most Asian groups were not included in the list of nationalities. Therefore, they could not legally immigrate to the United States for some time. The law did not apply to certain categories of educated people. -
Immigration Act of 1924 and National Origins Act of 1929
The immigration Act of 1924 and the National Origins Act of 1929 established a new quota system for each nationality and set a limit on the total number of immigrants to be allowed entry at all (150,000 per year). The quota system that resulted from these acts served as the basis for U.S. immigration policy for more than 35 years. -
1965 Law
The 1965 law eliminated quotas based on national origin. As many as 270,000 immigrants could be admitted each year without regard to nationality, country of origin, or race. No more than 20,000 persons could come from any one country, however. Close relatives of American citizens were given special status as were aliens with specialized occupational talents. -
Immigration Reform and Control Act
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 imposed severe penalties on employers who willfully hired illegal aliens (fines range $250 to $10,000 for each offense). Employers who repeatedly violate this law can be jailed for up to 6 months. -
Amnesty Program
(Amnesty is a general pardon for past offenses- in this case, illegally residing in the United States.) From the summer of 1987 to the summer of 1988, illegal aliens who could prove that they had been in this country continuously for at least 5 years could apply to obtain temporary legal residency status. 18 months later, they could apply for permanent residency. Eventually, they could apply for citizenship. -
Immigration Act of 1990
The Immigration Act of 1990 revised several other acts, including the act passed in 1965. This act raised legal immigration levels by about 40%, to 700,000 per year. It stressed family reunification, provided legal status for certain illegal immigrants, and struck down barriers blocking people with certain political beliefs from entry. It also tripled the number of visas (to about 140,000 a year) granted to highly skilled professionals. -
Proposition 187
Proposition 187 denied public social services, publicly funded health care, and public education to people who were suspected of being illegal aliens. It required that individuals who were suspected of being illegal aliens be interviewed, questioned, and forced to produce legal residency documents. It required all law enforcement agencies in CA to report anyone suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. -
Immigration Reform Act of 1996
Immigration Reform Act of 1996 had many provisions aimed at curbing illegal immigration into the United States. The act put into effect a number of provisions to stem illegal immigrations. One provision of the act would have forced hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants and refugees to leave the United States. -
Welfare Reform Act of 1996
The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 prohibited immigrants, including legal immigrants who are not yet citizens, from receiving most forms of public assistance, including welfare benefits. -
1997 Policy
Congress revised its policy in 1997. Under the new policy, many refugees automatically became eligible for permanent legal residence. Other illegal immigrants were allowed to remain in teh United States while the government processed their applications for permanent legal residence. Additionally, immigrants were again made eligible for public-assistance benefits.
